27. Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Elsa
T he comforting scent of freshly baked bread and pastries filled the air at Délices d'Elsa, but I moved through the motions mechanically, my heart heavy from everything that had happened. I hadn’t told Thierry or Angelique about the interrogation in Duncan’s office, or about Dom—Jett—and his threats. Fear for their safety kept me silent, in case what I knew was better left unsaid. But what hurt most, more than any knife, was the fact that Duncan hadn’t protected me. The shame of it stung.
As I set a tray of croissants on the counter, the doorbell chimed. I glanced up to see Dean stepping into Délices d'Elsa, a determined look on his face. My heart skipped a beat, a rush of hope and apprehension washing over me.
"Elsa," he said warmly, coming around the counter to give me a hug. "How are you?"
" Tres bien ." I wasn't sure what he knew, and it was not my business to tell him what an ass his brother was.
"Do you have time for a coffee?" he nodded at Thierry, who had come in from the kitchen.
"I'm pregnant, and I don't drink coffee." I put a hand on my belly.
I was now nearly nineteen weeks pregnant. I had gone a whole week without Duncan reading to me about what was happening with our baby. It had become his habit to tell me when our baby was getting fingernails or developing fingerprints.
"I'll make you tea." Thierry put a hand on the small of my back and walked me to a round table nestled in a cozy corner cheered up with flowers.
I always put a simple vase of wildflowers on all the tables to add a touch of rustic charm.
I looked at Thierry and Dean and sighed. "This is some sort of intervention, isn't it?"
Dean grinned. "Thierry and I bonded over soccer."
"We call it football here."
"Potato, po-tah-to , same difference."
"I want the chamomile," I instructed Thierry, feeling sullen. I didn't want yet another interrogation, this time from my friend and my soon-to-be ex-husband's brother.
Thierry went behind the counter to make me tea.
"You want to tell me what's going on?" Dean winked at me.
"I'm pregnant. That's what's going on. And I'm having trouble getting cocoa from my supplier. He wants to increase prices just like that."
"Cute," Dean leaned back on the metal chair. "Come on, babe, my brother isn't showing up at work. He's moved back to the Ritz, where he spends most of his time drinking. It's a good thing he can afford it because he's spending a lot of money on good liquor."
"At least he can drink," I replied petulantly. "Some of us have to rely on chamomile tea. Merdé !"
Thierry placed the tea in front of me in a delicate porcelain cup, the steam rising gently.
"You gonna tell us what's up?" Dean asked.
"Ask Duncan, he's your brother," I said miffed.
"Elsa, arrête d'être un casse-pieds ," Thierry quipped, asking me to stop being a pain in the ass in French.
"I'm not being a pain in your ass or anyone else's," I muttered.
Before either man could prod me further, the front door chimed as a couple walked in. Tourists.
Thierry gave me a warning look that said, sit your ass here and don't move . "I'll be right back." He headed over to help the customers.
I wrapped my hands around the warm cup and sipped the soothing chamomile tea. Dean watched me intently.
"Babe, please?" His tone was soft, coaxing.
I sighed, the stress of the past few days pressing heavily on my shoulders. "Do you know a guy called Dom or Jett Percival?"
Dean arched an eyebrow.
"He's some kind of American James Bond."
Dean sighed.
"You know him," I accused him. He didn't say yes or no; he just looked at me patiently.
I drank tea, fuming.
Why did I have to tell them what Duncan did? Why didn't Duncan do that? He was the one in the wrong.
"Duncan asked me to come to his office, and your friend Dom/Jett…whatever was there."
"Dom isn't exactly a friend," Dean grumbled.
I waved a hand in dismissal. After taking care of customer, Thierry joined us at our table, his arms crossed, and his expression grim.
"Anyway, this Dom person said Vincent is one of the most dangerous arms dealers they've been keeping an eye on. They accused me to of having something going on with Vincent. Can you believe that? Dom threatened me, and Duncan, the asshole , just sat there. He didn't defend me. He didn't say a word." Tears filled my eyes as the pain of that moment slammed into me yet again.
Dean's jaw tightened, anger flashing in his eyes. "That idiot," he muttered. "I can't believe he let Dom manipulate him like that. And then to not stand up for you? That's unforgivable."
"Who's this Dom?" Thierry wanted to know.
"Can't tell you, man," Dean shook his head. "He's supposedly one of the good guys. That's all I got."
"He's an American agent, who has been watching Vincent who is apparently selling chemical weapons. Dom mentioned white phosphorous." Even I who didn’t know much about this stuff had heard of that terrible weapon.
Thierry frowned. "Vincent moves guns; he's not into chemical weapons."
"I don't give a shit what he's into," I cried out. "I can't believe I married a man who let someone treat me that way. What's wrong with me, huh? My father uses me. My husband wants to use me. Why can't I just be enough without being useful ?"
Thierry wrapped an arm around me. I put my forehead on his shoulder, feeling like a fool. "I told him I loved him, and he does this. He never said the words back to me. "Apparently, he doesn't know what it means."
"Bullshit." Dean slammed his fist on the table, making it rock. "He's madly in love with you. He just has issues. Duncan’s wired a little differently, Elsa, but I swear, the man is head over heels for you. I've never seen him so devoted to—"
" Tais-toi ," I burst out. "Shut up. It hurts too much to hear that. I thought he could learn to love me if we stayed together. But how can I be with someone who wanted to use me like that?"
Thierry's face was grim. "If Duncan were here right now, I'd bash his head in." He kissed my hair. "You don't deserve this, Elsa. You've done nothing but be kind and caring."
I wiped my tears with the napkin under the teacup. Anger and sadness combined into a painful knot in my chest. "I don't know what to do. I can't go back to him, not after this. But I also can't stop loving him. And I'm going to have a baby."
Dean reached across the table, taking my hand in his. "We're here for you, Elsa. Whatever you need, we'll make sure you're okay. My brother might be a damn fool, but you've got us."
I managed a weak smile and then let more tears roll down my cheeks. "I don't want you. I want him ."
"Ah, shit." Dean looked at Thierry, who shook his head.
"I know, I look like an idiot," I whined.
"Well, you're not a pretty crier." Dean looked at me with consternation.
"Not pretty at all," Thierry agreed.
I gave a short, hiccupping laugh.
"My whole family is with you," Dean continued. "I promise. Mom is going to rip Duncan a new one."
"Can I watch?" I asked, sniffling.
Dean grinned. "I can record it for your viewing pleasure." He pulled back, looking at me with genuine concern. "Emilia is going to…fuck, I can't even imagine what she'll do. We're all on your side on this one, and Duncan is going to get the ass-kicking he deserves."
His words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, providing the comfort I desperately needed. "I don't want his ass to be kicked…well, maybe just a little."
Dean's eyes twinkled with mischief. "I promise to do the honors myself then."
"Will you come with me to my next doctor's appointment?" I looked at Dean and Thierry. "They're doing an ultrasound and blood test to check for serious problems, and I'm nervous. He was supposed to go with me and…." I cried some more.
"We'll be at the hospital with you," Dean assured me in English and Thierry in French.
"Good. It's in two weeks."
A part of me hoped that Duncan and I would be back together somehow, magically by then. But the part of me that knew magic was for fools was crushed that he wouldn't be there to see our baby. That thought upset me more. I began to weep, making a spectacle of myself as people came into Délices d'Elsa, amused and curious as to why the baker was sobbing her heart out while two men sat helplessly watching her.